Bottle carrier



Aug- 12, 1947' c. M. sHAw Er AL 2,425,401

'BOTTLE CARRIER Filed July 16. 1945 ATToR Patented ug. 12, 1947 BOTTLECARRIER Clyde M. Shaw and Herbert S. Putney, Topeka, Kans., assignors toW. A. Morse, Mission,

Kans.

Application July 16, 1945, Serial No. 605,342

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to bottle carriers of the type conventionallyemployed to contain a number of bottles in a condition where the samemay be stacked at the point of purchase and transported by a customerwithout repackaging.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a carrier for bottlesthat will more eectively retain the latter in a safe condition withoutdanger of accidental spilling or breakage due to handling.

Other aims of the invention are to provide a bottle carrier wherein thebody thereof is constructed of resilient sheet material that exerts ayielding force upon the bottles to hold the same in place; wherein thebody of the carrier has a handle shiftable from a position below thetops of the carried bottles to a place thereabove where it is easilygripped by the hand; wherein is provided a cap removing instrumentmounted on the aforesaid handle in a fashion as to use the latter as ameans for guiding and retaining the bottle caps to an operativeposition; and wherein the bottom of the body of the carrier and thehandle or bail thereof are designed to facilitate the stacking of theloaded carrier at the point of purchase.

Other objects of the invention include specific structural details thatwill be pointed out in the following specification, referring to theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bottle carrier made in accordance withthe present invention.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical cross sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken on line III-III ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on lineIV-IV of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line V-V of Fig. 3.

The form of the invention chosen for illustration comprises a body,polygonal in form and having a bottom wall I0, opposed side Walls I2,and similar end walls I4.

The material from which the body is constructed must be resilient sheetmetal, formed to space the side walls I2 a distance apart slightly lessthan the combined diameters of two bottles I6. The length of the body isgreat enough to receive three bottles I6 in side-by-side relation andwalls I2 and I4 are preferably continuous a-s illustrated in Fig. 1.

Bottom wall I0 extends from one end wall I4 to the other and has adownturned lip I8 that is received between rebent flange 2l] of each endwall I4 and the wall per se. V

Rebent flange 20 extends completely around the bottom edge of walls I2and I4 and a similar rebent marginal edge 22 is created at the upperedge of the body to the end that a downwardly facing shoulder 24 is indirect engagement with the peripheries of bottles I6. This constructiontogether with the dimensioning of the body, as above set forth, insuresa positive grip to preclude accidental displacement or jumping out ofbottles I6.

A handle or bail 26 is U-shaped and the legs thereof are slidablycarried within a bearing 28, spot welded or otherwise fastened to endwalls Ill. These vbearings 28 are on the inside' of the body and betweenthe two rows of bottles I6, whereupon handle` 26 may be shifted from theposition shown in dotted lines of Fig. 2 to that position-shown in fulllines of said ligure. The bight of handle 2B is, therefore, confinedbetween'- the two rows of bottles and no projections either above thetops of the caps of bottles I6 or below bottom I0 are present tointerfere with stacking.

When a carrier is to be used in the transportation of six bottles, it isbut necessary to lift the handle to the dotted position shown in Fig. 2where there is ample space between the bight of the handle and the topsof the bottles I6 to receive the hand of the person carrying thepackage.

Inturned hooks 3|! formed at the bottom of the legs of handle 26 engagebelow bearings 28 to serve as adequate means for supporting the load.The cross sectional contour of handle 26 is as illustrated in Figs. 3and 4. The arcuate contour presents a smooth inner surface and likewiseis effective in adding strength to the handle assembly.

A specially formed cap remover is attached to handle 26 as illustratedin Fig. 2. This cap remover comprises a strip of material 32 extendingdiagonally across the Zone of juncture between the bight and one leg ofhandle 28. The cap engaging ear 34 is struck from sheet material andsecured to strip 32 by welding or soldering. The distance between ear 34and the proximal portion of handle 26 is such as to cause the cap of thebottle to move to the operative position when its periphery is againstthe inner surface of handle 26. The decapper is therefore, alwayspresent on the bottle carrier and its association therewith insuresquick and efficient operation.

It is understood that bottle carriers having physical characteristicsdifferent from those i1- inwardly rebent portion to present acontinuousV shoulder neXt to the sides' of they'bottles in the carrier,the normal distance between the rebent portions of the side wallsrespectively being slightly less'than the combined outside diameters oftWo bottles which the carrier supports whereby to establish a grip onthe bottles.

2. In a bottle carrier of the kind described, a body having a bottomwall, opposed side walls,

and end walls substantially perpendicular to the Y 'bottom wall, saidside and end walls being formed of resilient sheet material, the upperedges of the side and end walls being provided with an inwardly'rebentportionvto present a continuous shoulder next to the sides of thebottles in the carrier, the normal distance between the rebent portionsof the side walls respectively being slightly less than the combinedoutside diameters of two bottles which the carrier supports'whereby toestablish a grip on the bottles, said side and end walls each beingprovided at the lowermost edges thereof with an inwardly and upwardlyrebent iiange, said bottom wall having a continuous downturned lipengageable with the rebent flange of the side and end walls respectivelyto hold the bottom wall in place and'to form a recess for receiving thetops of bottles in another carrier when carriers and their containedbottles are stacked. Y

CLYDE M. SHAW. Y HERBERT S. PUTNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATE-s PATENTS Y Number Name Date 476,150 Knight May 31, 18921,880,985 Saunders Oct. 4, 1932- 2285566 Burnhoi June 9, 1942 2,329,656

Sedgwick Sept. 14, 1943

